Andre Russell in KKR’s IPL 2024 opener: 64 not out off 25 balls, a strike-rate of 256. Andre Russell in IPL 2023: 227 runs in 14 games.
There had been repeated calls to dump the Jamaican after the Kolkata Knight Riders failed to make the playoffs in the last edition. Age had caught up with the 35-year-old, and as a fallout, his improvisation had suffered — that was the common refrain.
But the KKR management stuck to their old warhorse, not for a moment contemplating to sideline Russell.
They showed faith in his big-hitting abilities, insisting he could always afford to have a lean season.
Sunrisers Hyderabad's Heinrich Klaasen, who nearly took the game away- from the Knight Riders with his 29-ball 63 at Eden Gardens on Saturday. He was dismissed off the penultimate ball of the match. Sanat Kumar Sinha
On Saturday he entertained a packed Eden crowd with an innings which will be talked about for its sheer power and intimidation.
It was mainly because of Russell that KKR recovered from the depths of 51/4 and 119/6 against Sunrisers Hyderabad to reach 208/7 in their 20 overs. KKR added 85 in the last five overs after reaching 123/6 after 15 overs.
The visitors were never in the chase until Heinrich Klaasen decided to challenge Russell. The South African blasted eight sixes in his 63 off 29 balls, providing Sunrisers hope, but his dismissal off the penultimate delivery of the match meant they fell short by four runs.
There was much drama in the closing stages after Sunrisers were left languishing for most part of the innings. Klaasen smashed Mitchell Starc for 26 runs in the 19th over, which included four sixes. Sunrisers needed 13 off the final over and Klaasen hit Harshit Rana’s first delivery for a six. But the pacer stepped up and claimed two wickets.
To KKR’s relief, it remained Russell’s day. “Dre Russ”, as he is fondly called by teammates, has been in rollicking form with a record of hitting the most sixes in the T20 format in the past 12 months — a six every 6.1 balls. KKR will hope the Saturday show was a trailer for what promises to be an entertaining season.
Ramandeep’s cameo
Every IPL throws up stars and young Ramandeep Singh looks set to scale bigger heights. The Knights included him at the last auction on the back of an impressive domestic season. His fearless attitude showed in the way he clobbered Pat Cummins and Marco Jansen for two sixes.
Ramandeep provided the momentum in his first match for KKR — 35 off 17 balls — after Phil Salt held the innings together. The England opener justified the move to include him over Rahmanullah Gurbaz with a 54 off 40 balls.
Salt’s dismissal had given Sunrisers hope, but they probably did not account for the Russell factor.
